Motor-vehicle signal



Oct. 2, 1928. f 1,686,086

F. L.. HARRIS MOTOR vEHIc-m'saNAL Fied Nov. 9,- 1927 'svmmwxmmw mmmmwus;

INVENTOR 'Patented oa. 2, 192s'.

UNITE STATES fArENT l oFl-lc-s'.'

FaANK. L HARRIS, or s'rocx'rom CALIFORNIA Moron-VEHICLE SIGNAL.

Application led`November 9, `1927. Serial No. 232,092@v This invention relates to improvements in signals for motor vehicles of that character which make use of illuminated signs or symbols to indicate an intention on the part of the driver of the vehicle to turn one way or the other or to stop the car. i

The principal object of my invention is .to combine as a'single unit, right-hand, lefthand, and stopsignals arranged to be displayed both to the front and rearofthe ve-4 hicle simultaneously in such manner that this display is had for each signindividually through a single opening in the casing of the signal; and eachy sign as ,thus displayed ismagnifiedV to an extent considerably greater Vthan the size of the actual lsignsymbol itself.` This arrangement therefore causes signals` of such size to be displayed as are very readily visible while at the same time the device may be made in a very much smaller and more compact form than .wpuld otherwise be possible if the signs themselves were of the magnitude which they apparently are when Fig. 3' is a. transverse'section taken on the- .line 3-3of Fig. 1. Referring now to the nulerals of. reference on the drawings, the structure comprises a '40 casing 1 having at each end an opening 2 cov-A ered by a glass pane 3 which is backed by a screen 4 of fabric or-. the like which is preferably colored red. The openings 2 are preferably-rectangular and are considerably wider than their height. The casing is adapted to be supported vfrom a fixed member of a motor vehicle, such 'as a fender 5, and so that the -casin I `and ace to the front and rear of the car, by a bracket 6 or the like.

At its cent-er of length lthe casing is considerably higher than at its ends, and in the cen- 'l tral portion of the casing electric lights 7, 8 and 9 are arranged in vertically spaced relation in a vertical plane midway between the .ends of the casing. The central light 8 1s openings are longitudinally alinedseparated from vthe :others by horizontal transverse partitions 10 above andfbelow said light. Thesepartitions at their ends areconnected to vertical and transverse' opaque cclpanels 11 which project from top to bottom;

of the casingand are disposed.- practically half way between the lightsand the end openings 2. Each light, therefore, is inclosed in a cha ber or compartment separate from '65 the others.

Each panel has a sign symbol cuttherethrough to individually communicate with.J the respective. light compartments.

" .The upper symbol is of a nature tof indi- 7n @atea right-hand turn, such as an arrow 12, the central symbol is preferably the word Stop as at 13, and the-lower symbol is of a nature to indicate a le'fthand turn such' as an arrow 14. Thelights are lso disposed in the various compartments that light rays as at 15 rojecting both-forwardly and rearwardly' rom the lights and through the respective slgn openings in the panels, cause the shapes of suchopenings to be thrown onto the 8c screens toa size which will practically cover the .entire area-of the screens, or'about twicev as large as the sign openings themselves.'`

Though I preferably employ a doublesign' displar arrangement, it will be evident that a sing e signdisplay device facingin one directionV only may also .be employed; while maintaining theuse .of 'a single'window or casing opening for the display of the different signsas well as the enlarged or'magnied. gn display of such signs.

The lights a"re preferably mounted in sockets 16 of ordinary character which are se-. cured into a removable plate 17 vmounted on one side of the casing so that the lights may 95 be easily replaced -or inspected when necessary. I From the foregoing description it will'- be readily seen that I have produced vsuch 'adevice'as substantially fulfills the objectsof the :|00`

invention, as set forth herein. i

While this specification sets forth in detail the present. and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations -from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by theappended claim. Y Having thus described my invention what I claim 'as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A signal device including a casing open at.

' one end, a' translucent screenacross said end,

an opafue panel in s the casin'g heh-ind and partments;A and lights in said compartments 5 spaced rom the screen and parallel thereto, disposed -relative'. to the panel and to the said panel having a,v plurality of vertically screen to ause the outline ofall said sym 10- spaced signal-symbols cut therethrough, bols'tpbeprojected in complete and magnified i v 54 superimposed compartments formed in the" form onto the screen. l

casing behind the panel, the s mbols regis- In tefstimonywhereof I aix my signature.

tering individuallyl withthe erent comv FRANK L. HARRIS. 

